


till our wide eyes burn blind

by versti_fantur



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Soft Kylux, benarmie, brendol’s a dick, runaways - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25941640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/versti_fantur/pseuds/versti_fantur
Summary: Ben’s hand tangled with Hux’s as they sat cramped together on the first bus out of town. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Hux head, the pale dawn sunlight filtering through the windows illuminating the gold of Hux’s eyelashes, and the deep purple of the bags (or maybe bruises) beneath them. It was hard to tell the difference anymore.//benarmie teenage runaways au <3
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	till our wide eyes burn blind

**Author's Note:**

> tw: abuse not overly graphic, (from brendol) the f-slur (its censored but its there, also from brendol)
> 
> ack ive been listening to too much halsey so have this

Ben’s hand tangled with Hux’s as they sat cramped together on the first bus out of town, their rucksacks tucked under their seats—one plain blue, the other black, covered in pin badges and keychains. Hux’s head rested on Ben’s shoulder, the soft fluttering of his eyelashes indicating he wasn’t asleep just yet, but not quite awake either. Ben pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head, the pale dawn sunlight filtering through the windows illuminating the gold of Hux’s eyelashes, and the deep purple of the bags (or maybe bruises) beneath them. It was hard to tell the difference anymore.

~~~

It broke Ben’s heart every time Hux showed up at school with another cut or bruise. It was worse when he didn’t show up at all, and Ben had to skip class and climb the tree outside Hux’s bedroom, tap on the window until Hux let him in. Let him help. Hux never cried though, no matter how bad it was. Even when Ben carefully bandaged up his fingers, after they’d splayed out at horrifically awkward angles, he’d only whimpered and bit his lip until the painkillers he’d taken finally kicked in. Ben promised him he’d never judge him for it, but Hux had just shaken his head, said he could cope with it, deal with it for another year before he could leave for college. That together they could manage it. Ben didn’t believe him, but he agreed, and told him he’d always help. That part was true, at least.

And they had coped. At least as well as two seventeen year olds could hope to. Their friends gave them notes from classes they missed when Hux couldn’t come to school, and Ben took to carrying a small first aid kit with him at all times. When his parents asked why, he told them it was for an elective class. Hux, somehow (Ben never quite figured out how), kept his straight A average, and forged notes from Brendol to excuse his absences. And sometimes, the bruises on Hux’s neck weren’t born from anger, but from love. Soft purples smudged with Ben’s black lipstick. Those ones, he treasured. As their junior year neared its end, they thought they could do it, together.

~~~

But then, last night, Brendol had found Hux’s phone, his secret one he used to text Ben. It was usually hidden deep in his schoolbag, but this time he’d accidentally left on his bedside cabinet, and when the ringtone chimed in the quiet house, Brendol reached it before Hux could.

He barely even felt the first blow collide with his jaw.

He’d seen Brendol angry before, over unwashed dishes or a misspoken word, bore the brunt of it on his skin, but he’d never seen this type of fury. It burned in his eyes as curses dropped from his lips.

_Useless._

_Weak._

_F*ggot_.

Hux could taste blood. He couldn’t remember much else.

It was 4am when he found himself still lying on the kitchen floor, limbs aching, blue and purple, mixing with red. He couldn’t do this anymore. His phone was crushed under the table, the flip part barely hanging on, but mercifully it still worked, and with shaking, bloody fingers he dialled Ben’s number.

Ben hadn’t thought twice, shoving clothes, necessities and a handful of dollar bills from his mom’s purse into his school bag, and leaving a hastily scribbled note on the table (not that she’d notice he was gone, she was always too busy to care) before sneaking out into the night. Rain fell heavily as he ran through the quiet suburban streets, plastering his hair to his forehead, but he didn’t care, flickering in and out of the reach of the streetlamps.

Hux sat on the curb outside his house, sheltered from the rain by a half-dead tree. The sight of him made Ben stop in his tracks and his eyes prick with tears. He looked so vulnerable, with his head hanging down, nursing his wrist. He didn’t even acknowledge Ben as he approached.

“Hey,” Ben hesitated, crouching down beside him, “Can you walk?” Hux nodded. “You wanna leave?” Another nod. Ben offered his arm to help him up, but Hux didn’t take it. He winced as he shrugged his bag onto his shoulder, but fell into step beside Ben. They walked in silence, but slowly, Hux wound his uninjured hand around Ben’s, pulling him closer. 

_Thank you_.

They found a gas station, and cleaned off Hux’s wounds in the restroom. They were the worst Ben had seen, and his heart screamed in his chest with every muffled cry of pain as he dabbed antiseptics onto the split on Hux’s cheek.

The cashier leered at them as they purchased some painkillers after emerging from the bathroom, making a crude gesture and laughing under their breath, but Ben flipped them off, snatching the change and glaring angrily until they were out of sight.

“Where do you wanna go?” He asked as they reached the bus station, the sun still below the horizon but the sky rapidly fading from black to pale blue.

“Anywhere,” Hux stared up at the clouds, hiding the last few remaining stars, “As long as you’re there too.” Ben squeezed his hand, a smile playing over his lips. “I’ve always wanted to visit the sea though.”

“The coast it is then.”

Ben bought the tickets from the terminal, a bored-looking woman handing them over without as much as a smile. He didn’t blame her, if he had to spend all day watching people leave this shitty town, he’d hate his life too.

Hux laughed when Ben told him his observation, toying with one of the fuzzy keychains on Ben’s rucksack absently as they waited for the bus to arrive. Ben watched him, the quirk of his lips as he smiled at something Ben said, the way his usually clipped words fell away into soft familiarity when it was just the two of them. Ben loved him. Completely, with his whole heart. And if the way Hux was looking at him right back was any indication, he loved him too.

They kissed as the streetlight above them flickered out, the headlights of the approaching bus cutting through the darkness.

~~~

So there they sat, on the bus headed east, their hands tangled together as Hux almost-slept on Ben’s shoulder. Fear, or maybe anxiety, coiled in the pit of Ben’s stomach, of what might happen, of how they’d be able to make it by themselves—they had less than $100. But as he looked down at Hux, his face relaxed, half-smiling in sleep, and _beautiful_ , despite his injuries, Ben’s worries melted away. As long as they were together, they would be okay.

And as the suburban middle-class monotony faded away into open fields, the roads straight and long and never ending, they were finally free.

**Author's Note:**

> luv yall <3 comments/kudos are amazing ^-^


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